The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), in collaboration with the Sri Lanka High Commission in the United Kingdom, has planned a promotional programme in London on 21–22 October 2026 to promote Sri Lanka Expo 2027 and attract a strong delegation of UK-based businesses to the event.

The programme is scheduled to comprise a Business and Investment Forum, followed by a networking session with British buyers, investors, representatives of trade chambers and relevant business and trade promotion organizations on 21 October, with bilateral networking meetings scheduled for 22 October 2026.

The initiative aims to position Sri Lanka as a reliable and competitive trading and investment partner in the UK market, promote Sri Lankan products and services, identify export diversification opportunities, and encourage UK companies to explore sourcing, investment and business partnerships in Sri Lanka. It also seeks to strengthen bilateral trade and investment relations between the two countries and generate interest in Sri Lanka Expo 2027, scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka from 14 to 17 January 2027.

An official Sri Lankan delegation, headed by Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe, Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, was scheduled to visit the United Kingdom to participate in the programme. The delegation was expected to include the Secretary to the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, and the Executive Director of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka.

The planned promotional activities were intended to provide a platform for direct engagement with prospective British business partners and to encourage greater UK participation in Sri Lanka Expo 2027.

The promotional programme is intended to position Sri Lanka as a reliable and competitive trading and investment partner in the UK market, while showcasing Sri Lankan products and services and identifying opportunities for export diversification. It also aims to facilitate direct engagement between Sri Lankan stakeholders and UK buyers, investors and business organizations, encouraging UK-based companies to explore sourcing, investment and partnership opportunities in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, the initiative seeks to leverage the preferential market access available to Sri Lankan exports to the UK, enhance export opportunities and strengthen bilateral trade and investment relations between the two countries.